In the field of exoplanet exploration, it is desirable to determine if there are planets orbiting about distant stars. Doppler detection has been used to detect planets orbiting some stars, but direct imaging is desired. Pointing a telescope at a star and its vicinity will not necessarily reveal whether that star is being orbited by planets or the number of planets. The starlight hampers the ability to discern orbiting planets in its vicinity. Accordingly, it is desirable to block out star light to determine planets rotating about that star.
Exploration of distant planets involves using powerful telescopes and orbiting space telescopes, such as the Hubble Space Telescope. In those instances, the problem of how to mask or block out starlight to directly image orbiting planets calls for unique solutions. Various proposals have been made that incorporate the use an occulting shield outside the telescope. An example of one such proposal can be found in Detection of Earth-like Planets Around Nearby Stars Using a Petal-Shaped Occulter; by Webster Cash; Nature, Vol. 442, 6 Jul. 2006. Therein a free flying occulter is proposed. However, how an occulter is manufactured and deployed in space, while maintaining the desired function is not addressed.
Accordingly it desirable to deploy and use a large on-orbit deployable shield or occulting mask to block out starlight to directly image orbiting planets.